The Mist in the Box
by asc12
Summary: What seems like an ordinary day quickly takes a dangerous turn after a mysterious box arrives at the Jeffersonian. The poisonous parcel seems like an unsuspecting artifact until it ravages the health of their youngest teammate catapulting him near death.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Bones. Nor do I own a Bentley or Mars in case you were curious.

Season 8, anytime. I don't know technical so I'm not going to do technical. It will only turn out badly. Technical can be inserted in your mind as you desire. I'm about story, emotions, dialog.

* * *

This was no unordinary Tuesday. There were no special cases. Dr. Temperance Brennan stood over the skeletal remains dating back 122 years while the rest of the Jeffersonian team stood near to assist in their own ways.

Agent Seeley Booth walked thru the doors with Dr. Lance Sweets by his side discussing some minor details to a kidnapping case they were finishing up, one that lacked bones and thus the help of the Jeffersonian team. This was now a social call for Booth to see his wife about a possible lunch date. As the duo approached the platform Booth headed up while Sweets looked around for something else to do.

With his hands in his pockets Sweets was intrigued with what Hodgins was about to do and headed closer. He smiled as he approached as this would be an interesting sight to see. Interesting in the artifact Hodgins was accessing or Cam yelling at him for doing something wrong with it.

"Dr. Hodgins." Sweets said acknowledged as he looked up at him.

"Sweets, how you doing man, haven't seen you in a while."

"Yes, no cases with bones lately. What do you have here?"

"Isn't this cool?" Hodgins said pulling the side of the long slender crate away to reveal an ornate antique coffin of carved wood. "We suspect it's over four hundred years old though it's a bit of a mystery."

"Why is that?"

"It was found in South America and was x-rayed. The bones inside seemed to reveal some abnormalities so they sent it to the Jeffersonian for inspection and interpretation. It was buried by itself which is uncommon. There's so many mysteries with this one." Hodgins was practically salivating as he admired the casket now freed from the outer crate on the table.

Hodgins circled the casket spouting alien theories while Sweets admired the intricate inlaid designs around the outside.

"This is weird." Hodgins said, stirring Sweets from his distraction.

"What's that Dr. Hodgins?"

"Oh, I'm looking for a place to open in, there's generally a small crevice." Hodgins was at the opposite end with a delicate crowbar running it along the seams. With little else to do while Booth was still talking, Sweets bent forward to help inspect as well.

"A ha!" Hodgins explained as he quickly popped open the lid with his crowbar. Inches from the box on Hodgins far left Sweets promptly received a powerful burst of dirt and debris in his face and eyes. He backed up brushing it off. Hodgins began to laugh as he sat the lid back down.

"Oh, hey dude, I'm sorry." Hodgins said tossing him a small rag.

"See what I get for trying to help." Sweets tried to laugh back but talking made him breathe in more of the dust and he coughed.

"Sweets, what are you doing playing around in the dirt? Let's go!" Booth called as Sweets brushed as much of the dirt off his face as he could.

"See ya Sweets." Hodgins said as Sweets followed Booth out.

"Dr. Hodgins!" The scorning voice of Cam said approaching him. Hodgins stiffened at the tone of Cam's voice that suggested he was in trouble. Hodgins turned to Cam with a smile on his face hoping to soften her mood. "I thought I had asked you to work on the particulates from the skeleton that Dr. Brennan was working on."

"Yes but I was done with that and I found this waiting!" He said pointing to the box. Cam spied the dust on the floor.

"And I presume you are wearing a mask when opening this?"

"It's no big deal, it's been scanned and cleared before arriving."

"Yes, but you always need to take the necessary percussions. But first I need you to look over something you missed on Dr. Brennan's remains."

"Oh fine." Hodgins said covering the casket with plastic nearby like a kid unable to play with a new toy. "Back to you later." He said with a smile at the box.

Booth and Sweets had arrived back at the Hoover building. On the ride back Booth had spent most of his time on his cell. It was fine with Sweets who felt a headache develop. He figured it was most likely from the long days that stretched into the late nights lately while wrapping up this last case. He sighed as he was looking forward to going home early tonight and getting some real sleep.

"Sweets!" Booth said stirring Sweets from his thoughts. His tone suggested he had said it more than once. "What's with you?"

"What? Sorry, I was just tired."

"Well don't fall asleep just yet. It looks like Caroline is going to need a little more in order to hold our suspect in this kidnapping case."

Sweets shoulders immediately slumped as he saw his evening of relaxing and early bed time fading away into and evening at his desk.

"Sweets." Booth's voice said again this time not as annoyed but more confused.

"Yeah?" Sweets said turning to his fellow agent.

"Are you going to go back to your office or stand in the hall all afternoon?"

Sweets looked around and realized indeed he was just standing in the hall when Booth had just walked away. He looked around as though trying to orient himself.

"Right." He said turning in the direction of his office.


	2. Chapter 2

Still don't own Bones, nor a Cadillac or Neptune.

* * *

Minutes turned into hours and soon it was after five Booth observed as his phone light up with an incoming call. He had been trying to input the last of his pending paper work on the kidnapping case in order to hold the suspect.

"Hi." Booth said knowing it was Bones.

"Booth, I will be detained a bit this evening from leaving. We have had some fascinating finds on the skeletal remains from earlier. We have all been working on these non-stop, it's quite fascinating really. Did you know…"

"Yeah Bones, can you tell me about it later please?"

"Is something wrong?" Bones asked noticing the hurried pace in Booth's tone.

"Yeah, something has come up with the kidnapping case, Caroline's been calling me all afternoon. I need to get her some more paper work so we can hold the suspect. I don't want this guy back on the street, even for a few minutes."

"Oh, I understand." Brennan said acknowledging her 122 year old victim was not as pressing as his present day one. "Angela left to get Michael, I will ask her to get Christine as well until we are all finished." Bones paused for a moment, not liking to be helpless, uninvolved with something for Booth. "Can I help you with something on this case?"

"Well at the moment," Booth began but stopped to curse at knocking over a cup of cold coffee. "At the moment I just need some follow up by Sweets. Where is he anyway, I thought he would be done by now."

Brennan was about to comment that she had no way of knowing the whereabouts of Dr. Sweets when she realized Booth was talking to himself.

"I gotta go Bones." Booth said adding mutual goodbyes and the conversation ended.

Booth discarded the cold coffee laced papers and left others to dry as he headed towards Sweets office. The office had quieted considerably as most people who weren't on cases had gone home. Booth was about to open Sweets door when the sound coming from inside caused him to pause.

Sweets was coughing harshly but not in a 'something went down the wrong way'. It was a deep cough that went on for a while. Booth didn't like when people were sick. He didn't like when sickness slowed him down or the idea of taking germs home to Christine. He was concerned with Sweets however and wondered how to best handle this. His cell phone rang, he exhaled when he saw it was Caroline again. He sighed as he was supposed to call her back twenty minutes ago.

"Hey Caroline." He said stepping away from Sweets door so Sweets didn't hear him. "No, that's not the case, no don't do that, no, no! I'll be right there!" He shouted quickly heading in the direction of the elevators, his suspect in the midst of revealing a second victim in the interrogation room.

In his office Sweets sat slumped down in his chair feeling exhausted. He slowly pushed himself back up into an upright sitting position, the relaxed position making it too hard for him to breathe. He rubbed his eyes for the hundredth time but still found himself unable to focus on the screen in front of him. He'd tried to read it a dozen times but his head pounded every time he tried to attempted to read it.

The voice in his head told him he needed to go home and rest but it was overwhelmed by the voice which insisted he had to get this done for Booth to keep the suspect off the street. Sweets didn't mind working to keep a killer behind bars but he wanted to do it efficiently. Making hurried trips to the bathroom this afternoon to throw up everything he felt like he had ever eaten did not help matters any. He had been careful not to interact with anyone to not get anyone sick from this sudden bug that had developed. For a moment he paused to consider what flu bug could hit one's stomach and respiratory systems so fast but he chalked it up to not seeing other symptoms before from the adrenaline of this case.

Now however it was all crashing down as he struggled to even use his keyboard. He strived to remember the suspect's name and felt his stomach turned again. He had no idea what it could be so upset about when there was nothing in it. He quickly stopped as another coughing fit was brought on. If his stomach a bother then the thick heavy coughs would start up, causing his chest to seize up in pain. Sweets stood up with the thought that perhaps some cold water would help as he made his way to the door. He started to wonder if this was becoming more serious than a bug when his head felt heavier than before and everything grew dark.


	3. Chapter 3

Don't own Bones. Nor a Dusenberg or Mercury.

* * *

Booth tried to stretch as he got off the elevator having spent a couple of hours in the interrogation room. He was now relaxing as he thought about how that time spent had produced positive results and the suspect would remain behind bars tonight and with his latest confession.

Booth looked at his phone and saw two missed calls from Brennan. He was about to call her back when he approached his office and saw her sitting there patiently waiting.

"Bones, what are you doing here?" He asked surprised. "Where's Christine, is she okay?" He asked now concerned about that and the two missed calls.

"No, she's fine. She's with my dad. I wanted to help you. I didn't like feeling like I couldn't do something."

"Oh, thank you." He said relaxing and kissed her lightly on the lips without concern in the emptied offices. "But there is no need. We got everything wrapped up."

"Oh, good, was Sweets able to help?"

Booth stopped and nodded his head as he suddenly remembered Sweets and his concern grew from his earlier stop. He had meant to call or go back by, but the interrogation interview had taken longer than he had expected. He looked at his watch which revealed it was near eight. He wondered why Sweets hadn't called him with the completed profile. It certainly wasn't like Sweets to take so long or not to try and call or text with results.

"You know it's late, let's head home but first let's make sure Sweets has gone home. He looked tired earlier and he must be getting a cold."

"Okay." Brennan said following Booth out of his office. "Though I don't understand why, Sweets is a grown man who is completely capable…"

"Of never telling anyone when he's overwhelmed." Booth finished for her. Brennan went to say that was not what her final statement was but instead paused to consider this equally as true of a statement.

Booth knocked on Sweets door and Brennan looked curiously at him as he never did that, Booth always walked right in. When there was no response Booth knocked a second time.

"Perhaps Sweets has gone home for the night, it is quite late. And why are you knocking, you never knock."

Booth was starting to feel guilty he did not open the door earlier to check on Sweets and now was further embarrassed to repeat that fact to Brennan so instead he shrugged and opened the door.

Booth walked in the dark office and wondered if Sweets had gone home but light was still coming from his monitor.

"Looks like he is not here." Brennan stated, though she searched for a light switch. She had not been in Sweets office without lights on before.

Booth began to walk further in the room towards Sweets desk to see if he had left any sort of notes when he tripped over something and fell forward. Brennan switched on a lamp as she was about to ask Booth if he was okay though she doubted a trip could cause him any damage.

"Booth!" Brennan said with great concern having found their friend once the desk lamp was on. Booth looked back towards her to see what he had tripped over which were Sweet's long leg extending past the length of the couch. Sweets was on the floor face down between the couch and the table before it.

"Sweets!" Brennan addressed him as she bent down to his head immediately checking for a pulse. Booth advanced, pushing the table aside so he could come close as well.

"Sweets!" Booth said as he shook Sweets shoulders to rouse him. Sweets began to mumble incoherently. Brennan was still checking vitals when Booth looked up at her for input.

"Sweets pulse is slow and though I don't have a thermometer for accurate measurement Dr. Sweets is dangerously warm to the touch."

It was all Booth needed to hear as he pulled out his cell to call for medical assistance. While spouting the particulars he was interrupted when Sweets began another brutal coughing spell which began to peak when Sweets seemed unable to breathe. Booth stopped talked when he saw the look of concern on Brennan's face.

Brennan was trying to turn Sweets face upwards from the floor to help him breathe when he finally coughed one more time dislodging something and went back to breathing again though more shallow. Brennan suspected this was not the first severe cough of this nature recently. Brennan decided to try and sit Sweets up so he could breathe better.

"Look we need that ambulance here….."

"Booth." Brennan said and the shudder in her voice that caused him to turn quickly towards her as his eyes went to what she was looking at. On the floor in the dim light where Sweets face had been lying was a splay of dark blood. Booth looked back at Sweets whose eyes tried to stay open but could not as though heavy weights were pulling on them. In the corner of his mouth he saw the same dark crimson liquid escaping.

"Immediately." Booth finished his sentence in the phone.

Booth waited with the phone in his hand though he could feel his knuckles turning white he was holding the device so tightly. He hated standing there holding a phone while Brennan could do little more than prop Sweets up and try to keep him in a sitting position so he could breathe. She had never seen the psychologist look so pale before, circles forming under his eyes as he now began to shiver slightly. Brennan tried to hide the concern on her face from both Sweets and Booth but Sweets shallow breathing and slow heart beat were making it difficult. She wanted to talk to him to keep him alert but she found a lump had formed in her throat and thus the words didn't want to come out.

The operator returned back to the line only to tell Booth that the nearest ambulance was caught in gridlock caused by a major accident coupled with a head of state motorcade route. Another one would be issued but would be over thirty minutes away. Booth was about to comment on the unacceptable nature of that when Sweets lunged forward in another violent coughing spell. This time he seemed to stop mid cough and as Brennan leaned him back his lips were taking on a blue tint as his eyes rolled back.

"No, no, no." Brennan said putting her hands to Sweets face to orient him. As his eyes caught hers for a second it was as though he committed to one more painful cough which allowed the pathway to clear and his breathing to continue.

Booth didn't need to see the red rims around Brennan's eyes to know this was past serious. "That's it. We can't wait a half hour." Booth said crouching down next to Sweets side opposite Brennan.

"What are we doing?" Brennan asked not opposed to an alternate plan to waiting but unsure of his current proposal.

Booth put Sweets arm over his shoulder and his own arm around Sweets back. Brennan did the same on the other side.

"We're going. We'll either meet the ambulance on the other side of the accident or get the hospital before they do." He explained as they left the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Still don't own Bones. I did once own a Saturn.

* * *

If Brennan had found Booth's driving disturbing before she made no mention of it now. With sirens blazing they rushed to the hospital. Brennan sat in the back with Sweets with fingers pressed over his neck to make sure there was still a pulse. She was concerned he was not in a seat belt due to their rate of travel but it would hinder her from continually accessing him. She felt this was paramount at the moment as his breathing and pulse continued to slow. They passed a mass of cars stuck in traffic several streets over as they flew down an alley. Briefly she saw the lights of an unmoving ambulance. Brennan felt sure that this transportation was better than waiting for the ambulance.

As they pulled in the hospital emergency circle drive a team came to the vehicle having responded to Booth's updated phone call that they were en route.

"What happened?" One of the doctors asked as a gurney was pulled up to the vehicle. Brennan hardly noticed that she found herself not wanting to let go of Sweets pulse, his arm, anything that she could touch to know he was still there.

"We found him like this in his office." Brennan answered.

"Did he have any symptoms before?"

"No, we…"

"He was coughing earlier." Booth interrupted Breanna. He felt the guilt blossom that he should have checked on Sweets when he had paused outside his door. "I thought it was just like a cold. But he was fine all morning."

"Okay, what about allergies, medical history?" The doctor asked as they passed the hospital doors.

"I think we can get his records." Brennan suggested.

"Well what about family?" The doctor asked as though this would be quicker.

"He has none." Brennan said it as an answer to the question but now she noticed how it hung heavily in the air as a sad statement. "Just, just us." She added though maybe more for hers and Booth's own benefit.

"Okay, wait here." The doctor said nodding to the waiting room.

"His temperature is 104." One of the nurses informed the doctor as they disappeared down the hall. It was the last thing they heard as pair watched as Sweets disappeared down the hall.

"I'll call Cam." Brennan said. Booth felt like Brennan knew something he did not but he thought perhaps he would rather not know, until he could know something concrete.

Cam had just gotten home and into something more comfortable as she came back to find Arastoo asleep on the couch, exhausted from their late night of standing over the exam table staring at ancient remains. Fascinating bones, but old bones. Cam wondered if she should wake him when her cell did it for her.

Cam smiled at Arastoo as she picked up her cell. Seeing who was calling she sighed.

"Dr. Brennan, I promise you the bones will be there in the morning."

"It's Sweets." Brennan said though she found the lump quickly lodging again her throat.

"What about Dr. Sweets?" Cam asked confused. Seeing her facial expression Arastoo stood up and walked closer to Cam.

"We're in the ER Cam." Brennan pushed out. "Sweets he, um, it's bad Cam." The last three words were in a near whisper, Brennan not wanting to spout emotions so openly.

Arastoo was close enough to hear what Brennan had said and saw the stunned look on Cam's face as she stood frozen. He took the phone from her.

"We are on our way."

Cam didn't even notice she had left the house in her casual yoga pants and tee shirt.

Brennan hung up as Booth approached her. He had called Hodgins and they were on their way as well as soon as they dropped Michael off, also with Max who agreed to watch both toddlers.

Together Booth &amp; Brennan paced, unable to sit, awaiting news and the arrival of friends.

Hodgins and Angela approached with Cam and Arastoo who had arrived about the same time in the parking lot. Booth was glad they had come together as now he did not need to repeat what had happened multiple times, once was going to be more than enough.

What he hadn't realized was the look on the pair's face was all the rest of the team needed to know- this was bad. Cam was about to speak when the doctor who was helping Sweets approached them showing no reserve and looked frantic instead.

"Do any of you this man well enough to know anything about him, anything that can help?"

"What do you mean?" Brennan asked not following the question.

"I've not seen anything like this and I've practiced medicine for thirty seven years. Look I'm not going to be as tactful as I should, but your friend is dying. And unless we have some idea of what is going on in his body we won't be able to stop it. So _anything _you can tell me will help. Does he have any medical conditions, did he take any strange drug combinations? The tox screen is coming up with nothing, but there has to be something for his health to decline so rapidly and so severely. It most likely is something viral, in his lungs, did he…" His voice trailed off as he was being called by another doctor away from the group. He walked to the other doctor standing nearby while the group looked to each other with more questions than answers.

Brennan looked to Booth who she knew had been with him more today than her. Booth shrugged as he hadn't thought of anything. The doctor returned as though he were trying to catch his breath.

"He is stable and by stable I mean he's breathing but little else. Please, did you think of anything?" He asked knowing he was being curt but he had little time for else.

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "We met at the office this morning, went by and interviewed a witness, nothing out of the ordinary. Then we went by the Jeffersonian, then back to the office."

"You said he was coughing earlier, was there anything else odd?" The doctor asked Booth.

Booth thought for a moment. "When we first got back to the office Sweets was sort of out of it, he said he was tired."

"And where did you say he was before that?"

"The Jeffersonian." Brennan said. "It's…"

"Thank you I know what that is." The doctor said not ready for a local history quiz.

"But there is nothing there that would be…." Brennan began but was cut off by Cam.

"Wait, it has to be though." She looked around at everyone though she wasn't comfortable with the quick assumption her lab was a determent to anyone's health. "The time frame you mentioned it must be. You said something about trouble breathing?" Cam asked looking to the doctor. "Do you think it's viral?"

"Yes, I believe he breathed in something."

"Oh God." Hodgins said as the color drained from his face. The group turned to him half pleased that he might have a clue and half angry that he had done something, if even advertently. "I was opening that coffin, some particulates sprayed in Sweets face. But…."

"No 'but's' Dr. Hodgins." Cam said angry.

"It had passed customs, it should have been…"

"That must be it, I don't know what else Sweets would have come in contact with." Brennan deduced.

"What are we talking about here?" The doctor asked wanting in on the conversation.

"It was a crate that was delivered from South America, it contained remains, roughly four hundred years old." Hodgins explained.

"But if you came in contact with this box as well…" The doctor began when Hodgins began shaking his head.

"No, yes but no. I was standing back when I opened the box, the particulates sprayed in Sweets face and be breathed them in. He was coughing. I laughed." Hodgins said now consumed with guilt.

"Where is the box now?" Cam asked concerned that a biohazard was lurking in her lab.

"I covered it and went back to the particulates you needed for Dr. Brennan."

"We need to go back to the lab right now and analyze these particulates. They could be a combination of aged particles that could wreak havoc on a modern body."

"If that's the case then Godspeed." The doctor said practically pushing the group out the door. "I'll need to know _anything _you find immediately."

"Wait, one of us should stay here to relay information and you know, not leave Sweets alone." Brennan said while she paused.

"I would be in favor of that if one of you could be spared. Dr. Sweets is disoriented. I don't want to sedate him if I don't have to because I don't know how the medications could react with whatever is in his system." The doctor added.

They group looked around as the Jeffersonian team knew they would all have to go.

"I'll stay." Booth said knowing he had little to offer in the lab. Brennan nodded to Booth as they ran out the door for Cam and Angela's car. Booth watched them go and thought of Brennan's comment earlier about wanting to do something to help, the unsettling feeling of sitting by to do nothing. That feeling consumed Booth now.


	5. Chapter 5

Have not won the lottery nor do I own Bones.

* * *

The team reached the Jeffersonian lab and moved in near silence as though there were a ballet company, all moving in perfect synchronization or a well-choreographed routine. They knew their job well, even if the task before them was daunting.

They all donned masks and protective gear first then moved the covered coffin to the platform exam table.

This time they removed the lid together only allowing a small amount of dust to settle on the table around them. Hodgins promptly gathered it and began to examine the dust.

The group continued to look at the rest of the remains while Hodgins began to run tests.

"This is not right." Brennan said looking in the coffin at the remains.

"What is it Dr. Brennan?" Cam said approaching the box as well.

"Well for one thing this box contains too many remains. There is more than one person in this container. I want to also point out that the age of the two skeletons are from over a hundred years apart. Lastly, did Dr. Hodgins say these remains were found in South America?"

Cam nodded yes as Hodgins was busy running tests, fighting the urge to be taken over by thoughts of guilt.

"I would say the box is of South American heritage, dating back 400 years but this bodies inside are decided European."

"Angela, can you find the papers that accompanied this box?" Cam asked and Angela smiled at the thought she now had something to contribute, something to keep busy with.

"Why was this box sent to the Jeffersonian, who sent it here?" Brennan asked perhaps more voicing her inner thoughts.

"Let's see if Angela can find an answer to that." Cam said confirming her suspicion.

"I don't want to jump to conclusions but it would appear this box was more a constructed mystery than a random archival dig find." Arastoo said looking between the box and the remains they were removing from it onto the table.

"Something does seem to suggest foul play here." Cam agreed.

At the hospital Booth was following the doctor. Booth was calmed by the doctor who was very personable and nice from years of experience. However Booth felt like he was walking thru a fog, he didn't hardly hear what the doctor was saying, the whole situation, the last hour had felt so surreal.

The doctor paused outside of a door and Booth knew they had reached their destination.

"Just try and keep him calm." The doctor said patting Booth's shoulder. Booth realized then he must have looked inundated with the events. Booth cleared his throat ready to put on a show of confidence for Sweets, to make Sweets think there was nothing wrong.

As Booth entered the room not all the plaster in the world could keep his smile on his face. The sight of Sweets stunned Booth as his blood ran cold and his stomach turned. Booth tried to clear his throat again as he stepped toward the bed where Sweets was propped into a sitting position to assist in breathing. Sweets was as white as the sheets he was lying against.

Booth slowly moved to the side of the bed where Sweets dark brown eyes rolled in an attempt to watch Booth's movements. Sweets eyes were rimmed in red and purple as were hallowed and looked as though they burned in pain. Booth found himself breathing lightly as Sweets own breathing filled the quiet air. It was as though his every breath was a gasp for air despite the assistance of air going in his nose.

Booth sat in the chair by the bed his eyes eager to leave the sad and painful lock Sweets eyes had on him. Booth's attention was caught by Sweets hands, lying above the sheet by his own side but they twitched uncontrollably.

Another doctor stopped in to take vitals and Booth expected this would happen frequently in the near future. Sweets shut his eyes and though his hands continued to twitch Booth suspected Sweets had passed out.

"Doctor, is there any improvements?" Booth was hopeful despite the lack of a reason to be so.

The doctor shook his head. "His body is shutting down."

"Why so quickly?"

"Whatever the pathogen is in his system it is aggressive." The doctor explained trying to hold back the desire to want to leave the room and this uncomfortable situation as soon as possible. Booth was drawn to Sweets face suddenly clenched in pain.

"Is he in pain? " Booth asked surprised having assumed he was being given pain killers.

The doctor looked at Booth and determined he did not want a sugar coated answer. "Yes, extremely so. Chest pressure, extreme migraines, stomach pain. If we give him something it could interact with what is in his system and kill him. The doctor attempted to give him penicillin and it nearly caused him to crash. I hope your friends can work quickly."

Booth was so surprised by the answer he hadn't noticed the doctor quietly exit. He was brought back to the present when a forceful cough rocked Sweets unwillingly forward. Having no strength left he nearly tipped off the bed but Booth sprung forward and caught him, adjusting him back to a sitting position.

As Sweets face rolled back in Booth's direction his dark chocolate eyes were now amidst pools of red. He was radiating heat and seething exhaustion. Booth doesn't like the look in Sweets eyes that is pleading for Booth to kill him.

Back at the lab three of the interns, Dr. Clark Edison, Dr. Wendell Bray and Dr. Colin Fisher, were able to be contacted and come immediately, without question when they heard the situation. Now, the team has deduced that one body is a month deceased while the other is four hundred years deceased with a missing skull. The four century old cause of death is laid aside to wait until another time. The more recent death is determined to be the cause of the broken neck, a head nearly or ultimately as it seems, taken off.

While Brennan is not comfortable with "guessing" she does find credence in the theory that the newer body was placed in the old remains on purpose. According to research on Angela's part and backed by Dr. Brennan's suspicions the tomb should not have been where it was. It had been removed from a sacred burial ground to this isolated area.

"What area was this found in?" Arastoo asked as Angela brought up the map and they examined it.

"Dr. Hodgins, would this soil and particulates be congruent with this area."

Jack failed to answer them as he plucked away feverishly at the keys. Brennan looked over his shoulder at his findings so far and confirmed that those on the outer edge of the coffin were but the particulates that covered Sweets were from inside the coffin and different. The team exhaled as the connection could not be made.

"What is this area?" Brennan asked Angela.

"Well from the records I have found so far this area was a planned development. It was very controversial for the area and many groups tried to get it blocked."

"Why is that, specifically?" Cam asked for clarification.

"Well apparently some of the local tribes did not want their ancient lands paved with a super store."

"Oh, I see." Cam said understanding now. "So it could be that someone could have planted this coffin here as a warning to stop digging."

"Perhaps the man inside, the newer man was the man who wanted to develop it. I haven't been able to ID him for sure yet." Angela added.

"Either way, this does not help Dr. Sweets." Arastoo pointed out.

"No, but it does tell us that this was most likely intentional." Brennan suggested.

"Yes, if someone placed this here and put this chemical combination inside, they may have been waiting for someone to pry the coffin open at the scene and fall ill, leading to the idea the land was cursed and stave off anyone from wanting to develop on it." Cam supposed.

"But instead someone did what no one does, left it alone and sent it to officials to do the work." Angela offered.

"And unfortunately Dr. Sweets was…" Arastoo began but Cam finished for him. "An accident."

They were stirred from their mystery that while not concrete had a feeling of being solved, but it wasn't the mystery they wanted the answer to the most. Brennan answered her phone that took them from their moment. She would normally have stepped to the side to take the call but seeing it was Booth she knew it was information she would need to share.

"No, we don't have anything Booth. We've run hundreds of tests. Our one suspect that made this chemical warfare concoction that affected Sweets is most likely hiding out in South America, I don't see how we can extract him in the time frame we need."

Brennan listened further to Booth but shook her head. "We are working Booth but I don't have any leads right now. I reached out to Dr. Ivan Jacobs on our way here, he promised his CDC team to work thru the night on this with us with the information we sent him but I'm afraid," Brennan paused as she was coming to a conclusion she knew was rational, but not desirable. "I'm afraid it will not be in the time frame we desire." She paused again. "Yes I understand. Goodbye."

They all paused and waited to hear what Booth had told her. She took a deep breath before beginning. "If we don't find a cure Sweets will be gone in the next few hours."


	6. Chapter 6

Update! Don't own Bones. Sorry, trying to have some fun with disclaimers.

* * *

Booth paused before going back in Sweets room to take a deep breath, preparing himself for the next few moments ahead. Sweets had paused to rest, most likely from exhaustion so Booth had taken the second to slip out and call Brennan, hoping for an update or good news.

Now he came back in the room and paled at the sight. In the time of Booth's absence Sweets had with shaky hands removed the IV from his arm. Since his hand was shaking as he had done it, it was a bloody and ripped mess. Booth's loud voice boomed for a nurse before he rushed to the side when monitor alarms began to beep.

Booth immediately pulled Sweets industrious hand away from the bruised one. Booth began to apply pressure to stop the bleeding as Sweets looked away from Booth. Booth knew Sweets was not being delusional but rather intentional.

The doctor and nurse rushed in and Booth backed away to the opposite side so they could work. Sweets now had to either look back at the doctors or match Booth's eyes. Booth sat in the chair so his eyes were level with Sweets. Nothing was said while the doctors worked to repair the damage. Booth was gearing up for a lecture.

"Agent Booth?" The doctor asked standing by the door as the nurses continued and moved the IV to the opposing arm. Booth moved to the hall so they could work.

"Yes?" Booth asked trying not to direct anger at the doctor. The person he could direct anger at was most likely a suspect in South America who most likely had no idea who his target was going to be.

"I'd like to start administering pain medications."

"But you said that might kill him." Booth asked confused.

"I think it's important now to make him more comfortable. I think we just saw that the pain is becoming too much in these final moments."

"You're giving up?" Booth asked incredulously.

"His temperature is about to push 105 Agent Booth, every breath he takes is extremely painful, he is blasted with waves of nausea every few seconds and when those are hitting he is consumed with migraines. Is this what you want for him?"

Of course Booth didn't. But he didn't want Sweets to die either. Booth was going to go down swinging till the end. The question was, was he going to ask the same of Sweets?

Booth looked over at Sweets as the nurses left the room. Sweets was looking at the two of them talking. The doctor approached Sweets more closely.

"Do you understand what I am asking Dr. Sweets?" The doctor asked testing his awareness. Sweets nodded his head yes. "Do you want the pain killer, despite the elevated risks?"

Not looking at Booth and keeping his eyes trained on the doctor, Sweets nodded his pale and heavy head affirmatively to the doctor.

The doctor turned to notify the nurse to bring the medication and Booth immediately went to Sweets side.

"Look Sweets, I know, I understand the pain." Booth felt himself ready for a hard sell of near incomprehension words in his planned intervention. Sweets turned his face to look at him with a cold expression. If it weren't for the complete and total exhaustion and shutting down of his own body Sweets may have argued with Booth that he had no idea what the pain was like.

Booth read the expression in his hallowed and red eyes, his thin shrinking frame with a chest that heaved at every breath, his hands still shaking uncontrollably at his side. Booth realized Sweets hadn't said a word, he didn't even possess the strength to argue with him, or perhaps, the desire.

"Please Sweets. I know it's bad. Okay, I know it's terrible. I've been trying to pretend it's not, maybe pretending not so much for you, maybe just for me. I'm sorry…." The lump was forming in Booth's throat but he tried to push it out of the way as the doctor returned with the syringe. "Sweets please, don't, just give the Jeffersonian team more time. They are working so hard Sweets, I know they can do this. Please."

Sweets eyes rolled back as he began to grind his teeth at the pain. He was trying to keep from another painful cough, to suppress it, but it escaped anyway, so deep and guttural Booth wondered if Sweets was going to flat line because of it.

As Sweets laid back the doctor advanced, ready to insert the syringe in the IV when Sweets held up his quivering hand to pause him.

"Do you know what you are doing Dr. Sweets?" The doctor asked in surprise.

Sweets nodded yes, grinding his teeth in pain again. Booth sighed as Sweets was putting his faith in the Jeffersonian team, in Booth.

The doctor knew Sweets had no family to override the decision and instead put the cap back on the needle as he left.

Booth looked back at Sweets who was still watching the doctor and the pain medication leave, perhaps second guessing his decision. Booth looked down at Sweets twitching hand by his side and wrapped his fingers around Sweets. Sweets immediately turned and for the first time since he had been there Booth saw Sweets eyes not with the cold and hard expression brought on by pain but that they had softened and relaxed. Booth's heart began to race as he saw that expression suggesting Sweets was resigning himself to accepting death.

_Hurry up Bones. _Booth thought to himself. _I can't disappoint Sweets after he trusted me, us. I don't want him to die._

"Okay, so we know what probably happened but because we cannot get the suspect in time we need to set this all aside." Cam said walking away from the coffin and the remains.

They had stood in silence for a moment feeling helpless but Cam would have no more of that once she had broken her silence. She instead walked to Dr. Hodgins to concentrate on now the only information they were left to work with.

"Cam, what are you asking, we don't…." Angela began with a defeated feeling in her. "Maybe we should go say our…"

"No, I don't want to hear it." Cam said choking back a tear. "I will not accept that. Comprised in this room is the smartest team there is. Maybe some can argue that but I cannot. Maybe individually we may have flaws, but together we are perfection. It is together we can solve this. We must solve this."

"Cam is right." Brennan said snapping from her thoughts. "This is what we do and we need to do it. I will not lose Sweets. I can't."

The team wasn't going to ask why that was and instead reset their thoughts to a 'can do' approach and began to focus.

"Dr. Hodgins, tell us what you have. Not the fancy mumbo jumbo that only you understand but say to remind me you are well paid, but the to the point kind of things the rest of us understand when pressed for time." Cam was to the point and Hodgins wasn't going into a routine at time like this.

"The particulates are everything from common toxins to uncommon and complex variables. The problem is, this isn't like this guy made these from a recipe book. There's a good chance he didn't even know what he was doing, just hoping this mix would make something deadly." He explained.

"The scariest kind of criminal." Angela said. "One who's just desperate and will try anything for his own mission."

"Let's try a new approach." Cam suggests and pulls over a nearby white board. "Dr. Brennan what were all of Sweets symptoms?"

Brennan felt her stomach turn. While the clinical nature of symptoms didn't bother her, applying them to Sweets did.

"He has a high fever." Brennan began while Cam listed them to the side of the board. "Chills, excessive vomiting, headaches, brutal coughing spells, and Booth said," she stopped to clear her throat. "That his hands recently started twitching uncontrollably."

Disconnecting themselves now so they could work they looked at the symptoms.

"Dr. Hodgins." Cam began, "can we link the toxins you found to these symptoms?"

Hodgins raised an eyebrow at her approach to the conundrum.

"Yes!" He said as he began to connection one to two possible toxins next to each symptom.

As he was near finished Wendell broke in. "What do we hope to gather here?"

"Perhaps we are looking at this wrong. We are looking for one big cure, of which there is most likely none. I was thinking about our team, comprised on many great contributions." She point to the white board. "This may be the same concept, one cure comprised on many components."

"Could it be that simple?" Fisher asked trying as usual not to sound hopeful.

"Why not, it's logical." Edison pointed out. Brennan nodded at that, logical, she liked logical. Despite the fact it was nearing midnight and they were desperate with little to lose in the fight for Sweets life.

Brennan stepped closer as the concept was beginning to take shape. "We need to match the individual toxins up with a treatment, then cross reference to make sure those treatments would not have an overall deadly effect."

Within moments the team had broken down the elements to research while Angela uploaded the information from each finding into her tablet to cross reference them with the others. It saved time to cross reference their work to make sure one cure did not cause death due the combination of another.

Having most of the components they needed Cam and Brennan rushed to the hospital. The team stayed to work out the remainder of the particulates while Cam knew she would be needed to monitor the administering of the doses. The hospital would just have to be on board with this idea, she told herself. Brennan on the other hand wasn't as good with the "flesh and tissue" aspect of all this and it felt awkward for Cam to be taking the lead. Still, they were part of a team, and their youngest team mate needed them.

"You tell Booth we're here and I'm going to get the doctors." Cam said as they separated upon entrance to the hospital.

Booth hadn't answered his phone when Brennan tried to call him on the way. It occurred to her now that could be a bad thing as approached Sweets room but she couldn't hide the giddy feeling that they had the answer.

Her smiled faded however as she turned into the doorway of the room to see Booth's back to her. He was leaning forward slightly to steady Sweets whose face was also turned away to the floor in yet another vehement coughing fit that sounded like the release of one last breath.

Brennan was ready to tell them the good news when the sound of her entrance made them turn. Brennan first looked at Booth who in one of the few times she had seen him like so, had eyes lined in red with unshed, angry and frustrated tears. His face was panicked and exhausted. She looked over at Sweets and her eyes widened at the rapid deterioration his health since only a few hours ago. The walking, or sitting, dead would describe it.

Cam was talking as she entered the room with the doctor behind her and she was neither prepared for the sight. Booth looked at them both with eyes pleading for an answer. He didn't care how he looked, his notion of self-preservation long gone after the long night.

"We have hope." Brennan said and was surprised that was her own choice of words as she, Cam and the doctor approached the bed.

"I hope so." Booth said as quietly as she had ever heard him talk. "Because I've run out of hail Mary's."

Knowing Booth was a man of faith Brennan imagined that his faith was pushed to the limits while being by Sweets side tonight, unable to do anything proactively but be there for support. She stood by Booth's side of the bed while Cam and the doctor moved to the other where the IV was.

"Dr. Sweets." Cam began but saw that Sweets was hardly aware of their presence as his eyes floated around the room. His body was shaking from the sickness. She put one hand on his hand and the other on his cheek so he would look at her. With glassy eyes he tried to focus. Cam tried to remain with an expression of resolve and not of devastation at the sight she saw.

"We have what I believe to be a treatment. We are administering them now. It is a series of things that I think will help but you have to hold on for me okay. Just a few minutes more okay?"

"You'll need to hold him still." The doctor said exasperated as he tried to keep Sweets hand, involuntarily shaking, still enough to administer the medications. While his eyes appeared calm at Cam's request his body was no longer listening to Sweets on requests. "If we can't keep him still I will have to restrain him." The doctor said frustrated.

Booth stepped forward not wanting to see that happen. He pressed on Sweets shoulders while Cam held his arm. Brennan took Sweets other hand in hers. They hated to hold him so with expressions of such pain but it was an ends to a means.

Finally the doctor stepped back from a series of administered shots. Whether it was seconds or minutes, the trio didn't know as it felt like forever. Suddenly Sweets relaxed in their grasps and they turned to him and each other to see what that meant. The doctor began to check vitals as the three of them backed up, standing close. Brennan didn't realize she had grabbed Cam's hand in one and Booth's in the other though they all stood close for unspoken support.

Cam knew by the monitors that Sweets was still breathing, heart still beating.

"He's breathing, his heart rate is steady. It will need to climb considerably. We will have to wait." He said turning back at them and though he wasn't ready to issue a smile he did add, "but this is the first step in this direction."

"Thank you doctor." Cam whispered as he left and they went back to looking at Sweets, waiting.


	7. Chapter 7

Angela and Hodgins ran to Sweets room after getting Cam's call. They showed up smiles but they faded some as they approached the room only to see the three staring at Sweets on the bed.

"I thought things were better?" Hodgins asked stirring them.

"You should have seen earlier then." Booth said, maybe to himself.

"This is actually a considerable improvement in Dr. Sweets health." Brennan clarified as Angela and Hodgins came to sit by them.

"Are we invading on visiting policies?" Angela asked though she hardly cared.

"I don't think they are quite so concerned about that right now." Cam said. "I think if they asked anyone to leave Seeley would pummel them."

"Oh, I would help." Dr. Brennan said and it made them smile though she was serious.

"If it wasn't for this team, Dr. Sweets would not have a chance, the hospital knows that and I think they are going to leave us be, for now at least."

"The rest of the guys are at the lab combing over everything for the hundredth time." Hodgins explained joining in on what the rest of them were doing, staring at Sweets, willing him to wake up, silently praying or bargaining.

"It's my fault." Hodgins said to himself, as though it were an apology to Sweets.

"No, Dr. Hodgins, don't do that, I should have insisted on more protocol when items come into the Jeffersonian, despite what is done before it gets to us."

"I should have checked sooner. We would have been hours ahead if I had opened the door…"

"I didn't do anything wrong." Brennan said in her own way. "But I still feel…." She couldn't find the word. Angela took her hand in hers and finished it for her. "Scared."

"We can all play the guilt game if you like but you know Sweets would be the first to tell us we were being silly."

"Angela's right." Brennan began. "Sweets would tell us that we all know the risks, many different risks in this line of work. We could all walk away at any time, but we stay. It's for the greater good."

"I hope our work did some good." Cam said as they all respired and sunk into their seats more. They had been rushing around for so long they hadn't noticed it was about three in the morning and exhaustion was beginning to fall around them.

No one wanted to leave but eye lids began to fall and soon, one by one they were out. Except for one set of eyes, Booth sat in the seat closet to Sweets bed still. Still in protective mode, unable to relax into even a momentary slumber.

Sunlight began to peek thru the window. The doctor tiptoed in the room over the legs of the sleeping individuals as best he could. He smiled to Booth suggesting it was fine they were there. He checked Sweets quietly and though he smiled it was not a big smile that suggested Sweets was stable, but unchanged. Booth nodded in appreciation of the silent exchange and the news, or lack thereof.

The doctor left and for the fifth time since everyone had fallen asleep Booth pulled up Sweets blanket, adjusting it. Sweets hadn't moved to need it to be adjusted, but Booth had to do something. Aside from hands that obligatorily twitched, thought at a greatly reduced pace, there was little movement on Sweets part.

Thoughts flooded Booth's mind. Only recently could he think of Sweets as a grown up. Once upon a time he would have sat there looking at Sweets like a kid and he as a parent. But now he was looking at a friend. This friend had grown into a man, an equal, or at least close to. Sweets had wanted a gun, to have Booth's back. Booth wouldn't have given Parker a gun, but he would Sweets, he trusted him with it, with his back, like a man, like a friend.

"Come on Sweets." Booth whispered so no one could hear. "You held on this long." He sat up in his seat, now closer to the bed. "You know, I've got a house full of women to live with. I need someone to watch Kung-Fu movies with. And Hodgins, he just likes bugs. So I'd really like it if you could you know, help me out." Booth hoped he could hear him as Booth was appealing to Sweets nature of wanting to help people.

Monitors continued to beep and Booth sighed putting his face into his hands and rubbed his exhausted eyes. He wondered if he should wake everyone and they go home, if they should stay. Though he knew his body was hungry he had no appetite yet.

Booth's hair felt warm and he looked up to see the early morning sun come in the window. The sun shot him in the eye and he moved aside at the bright glare temporarily blinding him. He wasn't sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him. He blinked a few times to be sure and then rubbed his eyes to adjust them. As he pulled his hand away he saw the unmistakable movement, this time voluntary of Sweets hand. His hand moved to the side of the bed as though searching for knowledge that someone was there.

"Sweets?" Booth said still quiet, wanting to be sure before he woke anyone.

Sweets hand continued to move and Booth put his hand over it. The motion caused Sweets eyes try and pry themselves open, his lips trying to move but no sound coming out. Booth was sure now.

Keeping one hand over Sweets he turned to the group. "Hey, hey, I think Sweets, he's maybe, maybe awake?" He said not sure what was happening.

Cam and Brennan roused first and came quickly to the bed side. Hodgins went for the doctor as Angela came by Booth.

"Sweets, Sweets can you hear me?" Cam asked trying not to get too excited first.

Sweets opened his eyes a crack a took in a breath which led to a quick cough that seemed to rock his fragile aching chest. Their eyes filled with panic as they feared the illness was either beginning again or lingering.

Cam put her hand over the other to keep him reclined and the cough quickly subsided not nearing the intensity it had before.

"Probably some of the last of the congestion breaking up." The doctor said as he entered the room. Reluctantly Cam and Brennan backed up, not wanting to let go while the doctor began to examine Sweets. The doctor glanced at Booth who gave him the expression that under no circumstances was he moving. The doctor smiled and made no such request. He could do what he needed from this side.

"Dr. Sweets, do you know where you are?" The doctor asked.

Sweets eyes slowly looked around the room and as though considering it he nodded his head yes.

"Do you remember what happened?" He asked again.

Sweets considered this notion as well and nodded and slightly shrugged his shoulder suggesting he remembered some of the previous day.

"Well, I'm sure your friends can fill you in on the details. They saved your life by the way." He smiled at Sweets before he turned to the group.

"It's looking very good. He'll need rest, but the congestion sounds far less severe and his heart rate it stabilizing. We will continue to monitor him."

"Doc, do we need to go, can we stay?" Angela asked.

"That's up to Dr. Sweets, but I have no issue with it." The doctor said smiling at the fact he had just handed over his hospital policy. This case had been so strange even he was exhausted by it and its effects.

"How about it Sweets, want us around?" Hodgins asked sitting by the bed next to Cam. They knew he was awake but they weren't ready to go yet, not just yet.

Sweets shrugged his shoulders as though he didn't care and tried to talk. "You're probably busy with a case." He whispered out.

"Actually Sweets, the only case we have right now is you." Angela pointed out.

"And it would be best to monitor the victim of our case." Brennan pointed out from sitting next to Angela.

"What about the body in the casket?" Cam asked wondering if they should do something about that.

"The interns are the lab, I'm sure they will attend to it." Brennan said and surprised them that she did not insist on being there but here.

"Sort of like when the inmates take over the asylum." Hodgins said adding a much needed laughter to the room.

Sweets coughed again which pulled him up from the bed. They all stopped and smiles dissipated at the haunting sound. It was quick and soon done and they all exhaled held breaths as Sweets relaxed back onto the bed. They felt nearly shell shocked at the sound, taking a moment for themselves to relax. While they could tell the coughing still caused Sweets some pain, it wasn't near what it was hours before.

They looked to each other trying to give each other a small smile of reassurance. Brennan glanced at Booth to see that he still had a hand over Sweets and barely taken his eyes off him. If Sweets noticed he hadn't brought attention to it. Instead Sweets looked around the room, a slight smile forming in the corner of his mouth.

"I feel like we should be doing more." Angela began and then looked to Sweets. "Sweetie, can we get you something, do something?"

Sweets eye lids drooped but his smile increased as he shook his head no. No one but Booth, from sitting so close, noticed Sweets was still grinding his teeth residual pains. The fact Sweets said nothing about it made Booth assumed he didn't want anything for it, knowing the risk it could still pose.

Hodgins stomach gurgled and his cheeks reddened some at the sound.

"I'll bet everyone's hungry." Cam said with a smile. "How about some breakfast?"

"Should we…" Angela said wanting some nutrition having worked thru dinner the night before and exhausted from the long night since.

"We could take a break." Cam suggested looking at Sweets who smiled at her in reassurance. "Let Sweets get some rest."

The others nodded and from in the hall Brennan noticed that Booth was not with them. She walked back in the room. "Booth?"

"I'll wait here." Booth said in a low tone, perhaps not wanting to wake Sweets. Booth was sitting back in his chair now, hands in his lap, looking at Sweets as though he were still holding his breath as though he wasn't convinced just yet, not able to leave, just yet.

Brennan knew this look and in all honesty she felt better than someone did stay, for Sweets sake, but for Booth too. Booth was the resident patriarch, the protector and he was on his perch, not ready to leave just yet.

"I'll bring you back something." Brennan promised and Booth offered a fake smile and nod.


	8. Chapter 8

The trio looked over the cafeteria and with sour faces opted for a quick run outside the hospital for a more desirable option. They found a corner style bagel/pastry/sandwich shop and went inside.

While waiting for their order to brought out they realized they had been sitting quietly.

"What a night." Hodgins said breaking the silence. Cam, Brennan and Angela nodded knowing how different their morning could have begun, making funeral plans instead of a breakfast run.

"Should we get Sweets something to eat?" Angela asked having not thought of it. "From the looks of that cafeteria I don't think anyone would want to eat that."

"Oh I imagine Dr. Sweets will not have much of an appetite for a while. Perhaps it would be best if we waited a day or so."

Angela knew she was not the same braniac as far as the human body went as the rest of them, not did she feel that they looked down at her for it so she didn't hesitate too long on her next question. "Will Sweets be okay after this, I mean, what's ahead?"

"I imagine he will be tired for a while." Brennan offered, trying to remember that Angela cared very little for the fancy specific names.

"After we get done with breakfast and if Sweets is doing okay, and after a shower, and picking up Michael from Max," Hodgins began suddenly feeing exhausted about the long to do list. "I'd like to get back to the lab, check everything one more time. But I do concur with Dr. Brennan, I do think most of the health concerns were symptoms, it make take time, but they shouldn't be permanent."

"Even the worst, I suspect," Cam said not wanting to fully commit to the notion without more tests. "Is that Dr. Sweets could, possibly, have some stomach aversions to certain foods or possibly some respiratory conditions. However, that's only a guess at the possibilities, there's good chance nothing will bother him and he'll be fine. Even if he did have those, it's far better than the alternative."

The nodded their heads thinking of that alternative and were grateful.

"To my knowledge he didn't stop breathing so I wouldn't suspect any brain damage." Brennan added as though something were on her mind. Angela looked at her curiously and she explained. "I was thinking, and I know I give Dr. Sweets a difficult time about his field. But I think I do so because I do think Dr. Sweets is highly intelligent. It would be a shame to see his mind go to waste. As it is currently being wasted on psychology."

Angela smiled as only Brennan could make a compliment sound so rough on the edges.

Booth's to go order was ready and they left for the car.

* * *

At the hospital the group went towards Sweets room to see the doctor on their route. The doctor informed them their friend was doing very well and was resting. Angela and Hodgins saw it was now nearly eight in the morning and decided to go and pick up Michael. Brennan asked them to tell her dad she would be there soon, she wanted to see Booth first. Cam left for a change of clothes and go to the lab to relieve the interns who she found out after a quick call were still, tiredly, working away.

Brennan carried a bag of food to Sweets room where she walked in the room only to see Sweets sleeping, this time peacefully and soundly on the bed. Next to him in his chair Booth sat with his legs propped up on another chair, peacefully asleep as well.

Brennan smiled as the sight and or news of Sweets improved condition allowed Booth to relax. She knew she should wake him so he could go and change but she almost hated to. Booth stirred when she sat the paper bag down. He smiled a genuine smile this time.

"He's doing better." Booth said softly not knowing Brennan had talked to the doctor. Brennan felt the desire to tell him she knew but she knew Booth was so excited to tell her she didn't mention it.

"That's good." She whispered back and sat beside him. "I was going to pick up Christine from my dad and take her to daycare. I didn't know if you wanted to go home and change, rest."

Booth looked reluctant and back at Sweets. Brennan was surprised how reluctant he was to leave.

"I'm sure the doctor will call us with anything Booth. He's in good care, now that we treated him." Brennan smiled at the thought the hospital didn't do as much as the Jeffersonian team did despite the use of the hospital's instruments and medical tools.

"Yeah they'd better not send Sweets a bill." Booth said in a grin. "We should have just taken him to the Jeffersonian."

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Brennan said standing up and holding a hand to him. Booth sighed and stood up but first went by Sweets side.

"We'll be back later okay Sweets." Booth said in a whisper knowing Sweets was still asleep but not wanting to slip away without saying goodbye.

As Brennan and Booth left the room a small smile went over Sweets face as he watched them go from the corner of his eye.

* * *

Brennan drove as they had picked up Christine and headed back by their home so they could all change. Thought she herself was tired she wasn't sleepy. She had gotten a few hours of sleep having passed out while they waited to see how Sweets was. She glanced over at Booth who had had practically no sleep. He started out the window, quiet. She realized how strange this was but said nothing.

After they got home she got showered and changed first. When she emerged ready to take Christine to daycare while Booth was ready she was surprised when she walked in Christine's room. She was playing while Booth sat on the floor watching her, a worried look on his face.

"You can go now if you'd like." Brennan said gesturing towards the shower. Booth didn't hear her so she came next to him. "Booth." She said putting a hand on his knee. He looked up at her, the worried look on his face. "What's wrong Booth?"

At first he cleared his throat like he wanted to change the subject but perhaps out of exhaustion he stopped. "That was just, too close." He said.

Brennan wasn't always good with people's feelings but she realized just how scared Booth was of the situation. She put her arms around him in a hug and he hugged her back.

"I really do think it will be okay." She said as she backed from the hug moments later.

Booth smiled. "And you're very smart." He said and she smiled.

"Come on, let's get going."

* * *

The day progressed longer than Booth &amp; Brennan could have imagined. Together they dropped off Christine and Brennan at the Jeffersonian what ended up being near noon. Brennan stayed as she wanted to check the same research that Hodgins was double checking. Normally the interns would have been bothered by the double checking but they share the same concern if their work was wrong so nothing was said.

Though Booth had intentions of stopping back by the hospital next he was called with the question of why there was blood in Dr. Sweets office and an emergency call placed from there last night. He left for the office to give a report.

So much to their surprise it was past two when Booth had a chance to pick up Brennan and go back to the hospital. Booth hadn't been concerned, the hospital hadn't called. Booth had wondered why Sweets roommates had not noticed he didn't come home and after a quick call he got the voicemail that they were gone at a convention. Booth realized that Sweets and his roommates were most likely no more than that, roommates, not particularly close friends.

Booth mulled over the thought of Sweets limited family as he and Brennan headed to Sweets room. He wondered if may he shouldn't be so hard on Sweets, maybe not hide the fact he thought of Sweets of family as much from Sweets.

They turned into Sweets room and stopped quickly. The room was empty. The bed had been made as though waiting for something new.

"He must have been moved to a new room." Brennan rationalized as they headed to the nurse's station.

"Excuse me." Brennan said as they approached. "Where has Dr. Lance Sweets been moved to?"

"Oh he's gone." The nurse answered matter of factly.

Brennan looked to Booth who has just lost all of his color.

"There must be a mistake. I'm referring to Dr. Lance…" Brennan found herself speaking slower and with a higher annunciation as though that would help.

"Yes, the young guy." She said affirming.

Brennan was shaking her head. "This doesn't make sense, he was recovering just fine."

Brennan looked to Booth who looked to be sure and lose his lunch he had finally eaten.

"Yes, that's why the doctor finally agreed to discharge him."

Brennan heard Booth breathe and didn't realize he hadn't been. "What? What do you mean discharge him?"

"Yes." The nurse said pulling out a chart. "The doctor advised against it and suggested he wait but he said he wanted to go home."

Brennan stood back and put a hand on her hip. "Well first of all when advising family that a patient is gone is not the best course of action. It leads a person to believe they have died." She said upset.

"If that was the case I would have said the patient had died." The nurse retorted snotty.

Brennan looked as though she were going to punch her in the face when Booth stepped forward. "Is his doctor still here?"

"Yes, he actually just came back on shift. He's down the hall."

Booth and Brennan walked ahead quickly to find the doctor and find out where Sweets was.

"There he is." Booth said pointing now getting angry on how the doctor could release Sweets.

Upon seeing them the doctor raised his arms in defense. "I can guess where this is going." He said. "I advised him it was best not to go. He could barely even speak to tell me he wanted to leave but he wouldn't stay on the bed, he was so damn insistent on leaving."

Brennan couldn't tell if the doctor was angry or admired Sweets determination.

"His vitals had checked out so technically he was capable of being discharged." He explained.

"Well why didn't you call us?" Booth asked angry.

"You didn't leave a number of I would have. I tried to call the Jeffersonian multiple times but I kept getting rerouted to the gift shop by the operator and when I called the FBI office I was sent to the tips hot line. I hate damn automated operators." The doctor said disgusted.

"Well how the hell did Sweets plan on getting home?" Brennan asked incredulously. "Or even into his apartment?"

"Well he only signed the papers about a half hour ago. He asked if we would call him a cab."

Brennan and Booth looked to each other and took off towards the nearest entrance.

"We didn't pass him?" Brennan asked hoping they hadn't walked right by Sweets.

"No, he must have been taken to another exit."

They were about to check out another exit when Booth walked back by something having caught the corner of his eye. Brennan followed him as they grew closer to the end of the corridor and found Sweets.

They sighed relief but then were immediately angry. Sweets was sitting on a park bench with his head against the wall of the building fast asleep. He had on his pants and shoes from the night before but a scrubs for a top, presumably his shirt having blood on it and thus discarded. He looked awful and Booth wanted to strangle him. Instead he cleared his throat loudly causing Sweets to sit up with a sudden jerk. His arm grabbed his side as the sudden movement caused his chest pain. He blinked his eyes as he must have had a headache as well.

"Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth." Sweets acknowledged in a barely audible hoarse tone.

Brennan stood in a mom scolding child stance and waited for Booth to begin a lecture while she waved her finger. She was somewhat surprised that Booth was jumping to the case when he began.

"What the hell are you doing?" He yelled at Sweets loud enough to make him jump back.

"Going home." Sweets answered timidly as his eye lids began to droop again.

"And you thought that was a good idea?" Booth shouted again waking Sweets up again. Brennan was ready to jump in on the conversation she did not feel was going very far.

"Sweets, how are you going to get home?" She asked in a softer tone as though she were the good cop in this banter.

"A cab. Which seems to be lost." Sweets said croaky again but looked around to see where it was.

"It probably left. You know while you were sleeping on a park bench when you should be in the hospital recovering!" Booth shouted again.

"Booth." Brennan said in an attempt to calm him down. Booth threw his hands in the air and walked away a few feet. "Sweets, I don't understand exactly why you would want to leave the hospital. Besides the fact that they were pretty useless in helping you, but still. You need some rest."

"And I can do that at home." He said looking at her intently. "I don't want to be here. I can't explain it." He said heaving a sigh that oozed exhaustion and aching. "I'd just like to go."

Sweets looked away as a headache was beginning to build as he imagined what he would be telling someone as a psychologist in this situation. He did want to think about how this applied. He knew he wasn't thinking clearly and he hoped no one had noticed how fuzzy everything was to him.

Booth looked at Sweets and noticed the drooping eye lids, the sway even though Sweets was sitting down and a look of almost anger in Sweets eyes. He bit his lip as he had a hunch what the problem was.

"I'll get the car." Booth said going back inside knowing Brennan would stay with Sweets. He was still angry, even more irritated he had to walk to the other side of the hospital where the car was parked.

Brennan sat next to Sweets and wasn't sure what to say. As she sat by him in silence she now noticed the sway in his posture, the twitch still in his right hand. It was slight but still present.

"Would you like something to eat?" Brennan asked spying a machine inside the doors.

"No thanks." Sweets said leaning back against the wall again. It seemed to help steady him from the world spinning faster &amp; viciously.

"Sweets, you should eat something." Brennan said knowing it had now been a day since he had thrown up so much.

"Later I'll get something." Sweets emptily promised. He had no interest in eating when the dizzy nausea feelings were taking over.

He had never really fallen asleep when everyone had left. He closed his eyes long enough for Booth to fall asleep and then he sat half-awake till he left again. He felt okay but then everyone was gone for so long. He just wanted to get out of the hospital. All he could associate it with was the pain of the day before. He wanted to get away from it, to go home, a mentally safe place. He had felt good and full of resolve. So much coherent nature and resolve that the doctor couldn't find justification to make him stay. That was wearing away now that he was being questioned, talked down to and yelled at.

"Let's go." Brennan said touching Sweets arm making him jump. He hadn't realized he had fallen asleep.

Sweets took a deep breath, which his chest regretted and stood up those his wobbly legs seemed to snicker at him for the bad idea it was. He was about to reach behind him and grab the wall when Booth was there instead and with arms locked together at the elbow he and Brennan got Sweets in the back of the car. He kept telling them he had could do it but he failed to move on his own they kept quiet and did not point out.


	9. Chapter 9

Don't own Bones. Checking... nope!

They were not far from the hospital when Booth asked if they needed to stop at the pharmacy for any prescriptions. Sweets mumbled that they could get them later but Booth said it was on the way. Sweets nodded and struggled to remember the name of the one the doctor said he called it in to. Booth was concerned about that but just nodded instead. Brennan put the half pharmacy name into the GPS and deduced which one it was.

As they waited for their turn in the drive thru window of the pharmacy, thus not allowing Sweets to insist on going in to buy it, Brennan glanced back at Sweets, still half awake and staring out the window.

She took out her cell and texted Booth, hoping Sweets didn't notice. Booth's cell buzzed as he had been too distracted with his thoughts to guess what Brennan was doing. He read the text. 'We can't leave Sweets home alone.' He looked to he raised eyebrows and nodded mouthing "I know." Brennan felt relieved that she now realized this had not been Booth's plan to give him a car ride to his apartment.

Prescriptions in hand the trio continued to their destination. Since Sweets was no completely lucid nor entirely awake he did not realize they were not headed to his apartment. Brennan had been busily texting Cam and Angela that Sweets had left the hospital and they were headed over to her place. Angela had readily agreed to pick up Christine and bring her by as a good reason to see, and yell at Sweets.

"This isn't my place." Sweets said nearly falling out the door when Brennan had opened it having been resting against it for the trip. Booth reached out in a quick reflex having caught him by the shoulder.

"Are you sure?" Booth asked allowing Sweets time to get his feet clumsily on the ground.

"Booth, don't tease someone in his condition." Brennan said quietly walking ahead to unlock the door.

"Well he deserves it for leaving the hospital and scaring us all half to death! Twice! In two days!" Booth shouted after her while trying to encourage Sweets by pulling his shoulder.

"No." Sweets said behind in the conversation. "Not my place." Then he caught on to where they were. "Oh, wait, no." He shook his head bringing on a headache. "I can't stay here. Not again, I'll never hear the end of it. I'd like to go home please." He said turning back to the car but began to stumble. Booth stepped back to grab him but was too far ahead. Instead Hodgins had just arrived and stepped in pushing Sweets forward.

"I gotcha man." Hodgins said as he and Booth helped the growlingly tired Sweets to the door. Angela was in tow with a toddler holding on to each hand. Brennan was busy turning on lights as they all entered.

Hodgins &amp; Booth quickly shuffled Sweets to the couch where he was mumbling about the comforts of his own home.

"Thanks." Booth said lightly to Hodgins who smiled. Hodgins still harbored a feeling a guilt for what happened to Sweets, a small repayment at a time.

Brennan was thanking Angela for picking up Christine as Booth picked up the little girl and tossed her in the air, much to Brennan's dismay. Angela walked over to Sweets to begin her tirade about him leaving the hospital only to find him exhausted and sound asleep on the couch. He looked uncomfortable having been in a sitting position with his head slumped to the side.

Angela relented, glad he was still alive if only to make stupid decisions. She picked up Sweets feet and swung them up on the couch, then pulled his shoes off. Hodgins and Booth played with the children and watched as Brennan came up to Angela with a blanket and together they covered him with it. They smiled at each other before joining the boys.

"Can I do anything else?" Angela asked as Hodgins stood up to leave.

"I think he needs rest now. I'll keep an eye on him look for changes in his condition." Brennan said.

"We all can help." Hodgins said preferring to look at Michael than the faces of the group. "We can all do something."

"We should all get some rest, it was a long day yesterday." Brennan suggested and they couldn't help but agree.

With a few goodbyes they left. Brennan and Booth decided to not wake Sweets and instead let him sleep while they ate dinner but agreed Sweets needed to eat something soon.

The figure on the couch began to move some though didn't wake up. Christine ran over while Booth &amp; Brennan cleared the dishes. When they came over to see what Christine was doing they found she had crawled up next to Sweets and they had both fallen back asleep.

Booth smiled. "Well, so much for Christine taking the first watch."

Sweets slept into the next day as Booth also took the day off, much to his boss's surprise delight, to keep an eye on the popular profiler employee. Anyone else and Booth figured the bureau may not have been so interested.

Booth hadn't remembered the last time he sat the chair in the living room watching movies in the middle of a rainy day. He didn't want to stray much farther though Brennan had given him an idea of what to look for by way of symptoms for Sweets. He would have preferred watching the action flick with the sound turned up but instead he kept the volume low.

By noon the psychologist shifted and woke up, disoriented. His eyes fluttered open as he looked around. He went to sit up quickly earning a headache and wave of nausea on the empty stomach.

"Whoa, slow down." Booth said turning to attention in his own seat.

Sweets looked around and recognized he was at Brennan &amp; Booth's place. He rubbed his head and Booth wasn't surprised to see he wasn't feeling any better. If this was the flu times a thousand it was going to take more than a day, despite what Sweets thought.

"How are you feeling?" Booth knew it was a trivial question but he wanted to at least say something.

Sweets wanted to say great and that he was good to go home but he knew his pale complexion would give away the lie. "I've been better." He said rasping but with a smile.

"Ah, so you do know how to be honest." He said with his own smile. "Sounds like you need some water." Booth left to get it before Sweets could argue and Sweets considered that water was a must. Booth promptly returned with water and some saltines. Sweets was more interested in the water and so another glass came.

Booth said little more as Sweets sat still obviously exhausted and went back to the TV show and idle prattle. He tried to look casual but he was keeping close watch on Sweets. A while later he ate a cracker and Booth hide the 'beside himself with joy' feeling.

After the movie was over Sweets got up and Booth said little as he slowly moved on shaky legs.

"There's a bag of stuff from your place over there. You're welcome to whatever."

"Thanks." Sweets said as he shuffled as fast as he could, about the pace of a drugged out snail, towards the bathroom.

Booth was pacing around when Brennan came home with Christine and grocery bags.

"Oh good you're home." He said with relief as he took the bags from her.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Brennan asked as she sat Christine down.

Booth came close to whisper. "Sweets, he's been in the bathroom for like an hour."

"Well did you check on him?"

"Bones, I can't go up to the bathroom to check on a guy."

"So you want me to?" She asked trying to follow the logic train.

"Well, no, yes, well, you're more doctor type…."

Booth paused as the bathroom door opened and Booth visibly relaxed.

"How are you feeling Dr. Sweets?" Brennan asked watching Sweets very slowly head back in the room in bare feet and casual knit pants and sweatshirt. His bag looked like it was too heavy for him to carry. His hair was wet and despite what a refreshing shower may have offered he looked exhausted again and Booth worried.

"Let me get your bag there." Booth said taking it from him before he could react. "I'll put it in Parker's room." Booth said leaving.

"Agent Booth, that's not necessary…" Sweets began but exhaustion took over and he began to sway. He thought un-noticed but it was very visible to Brennan who ushered him over to the couch before he fell down. "Really I'm fine to go home." He insisted.

"Really?" Brennan asked standing before him in a building huff. "If you can walk up and down our stairs three times you can go home."

Sweets looked over at the stairs and even the distance between where he was and there looked exhausting.

"I'm not a child." He said meekly.

"Then don't act like one." She said plopping Christine down in his lap. "Now please keep an eye on Christine while I make dinner." She said in a small storm off but came back. "And you have to eat four, no eight _whole _meals to go." She huffed off again.

Booth tepidly entered the room hoping he wasn't the one on the end of the angry stick. He cautiously approached the kitchen when Brennan smiled at him and he was glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of the bad mood. Brennan sighed that perhaps she was too tough on Sweets. Booth quietly approached her and gave her a hug. They went to making dinner while Sweets and Christine watched cartoons.

While Sweets didn't eat much for dinner he did fall asleep right after. Brennan decided it was a start. The next day Booth and Brennan headed off to work. Sweets slept thru the door closing but was surprised when he woke up to see bugs on the TV screen and looked over to see Hodgins sitting sipping coffee repeating how fascinating the show was. Sweets groaned.

"Am I not only under house arrest that I'm in need of a baby sitter?"

"Yep." Hodgins said then called Sweets attention to what they were doing next. Sweets hoped he could meet Brennan's tasks soon so he didn't have to watch any more bug shows.

The routine continued with dinners that exceeded Sweets desire to eat and baby sitters to arrive when anyone left. Cam was only there half a day which Sweets preferred to pretend to sleep thru as she tried vainly to look like she enjoyed sitting and watching TV for half a day. She didn't like not doing something. Then came Wendell which was equally as daunting. He decided if Daisy showed up he would decidedly take him own life but on the third day he was pleased to see Angela showed up.

Feeling much better and the only one to humor him she walked with him around the living room, then after lunch they sat outside to enjoy a nice day and even a walk up and down the block though there were a few pit stops on the way.

Sweets smiled at his time with Angela as she was relaxing and so undemanding to be around. By that night when Booth and Brennan arrived and Sweets assumed he was going home. Instead they insisted he wait till Sunday despite his progress.

Sunday came and so did everyone over for a BBQ lunch. Sweets realized by Sunday morning that Sunday also happened to be the day his roommates returned home from their conference. Something he figured Booth knew all about.

He sat quietly and enjoyed the time with his friends. He still ate lightly but they said nothing as the color and generous smile were returning to his face.

Angela and Hodgins had arranged to stay to clean up and watch Christine while Booth and Brennan would take Sweets home. All their faces looked up when they heard a car horn honk and Booth looked outside to see a taxi.

They turned to look at Sweets who stood with his bag.

"I can get it from here." He said having figured out their plans. "Thank you all, for everything."

He said and with a series of goodbyes they watched him go. "See you tomorrow." He called as he closed the door behind him.

"He's not seriously thinking of coming to work tomorrow is he?" Booth said with a laugh.


	10. Chapter 10

The next day Booth walked into his office and saw someone sitting in the chair at his desk waiting. As he approached he saw it was Sweets, in a suit, ready to work.

"Sweets, what are you doing here? What are you thinking?"

Sweets was still tired but there was work to be done, there was always work to be done.

"What's next?" He asked with a smile. Booth couldn't help but smile, they were back in business.

* * *

ASC: At the end and still don't own Bones! Yes, meant for this chapter to be longer but it summed up the idea anyway.


	11. Chapter 11

_If you haven't been following along completely (shame on you! :) ) here are some other sweet stories by….me! So out of curiosity, if you've read them all, what's your favorite?_

The Mist in the Box (my first one!) - Sweets is inflicted by a mysterious poison

The Title in the Story \- Sweets takes Brennan's place when a killer makes Booth choose, he ends up being cut up some.

The Sequel to the Story \- Sequel to the above when Sweets is still haunted by the feeling that Booth would not have chosen him. We meet Emma, Sweets new secretary with a complicated past and a serial killer from the grave - Pelant.

The Question to the Answer \- Sweets &amp; Emma date, return of the past for Sweets with torture.

The Car in the Lake \- Sweets seems to be sick but won't tell anyone.

The Explosive in the Situation \- Sweets involved in an explosion.

The Psychologist in the Institution \- Sweets gets maliciously admitted to an asylum and endures electro-shock therapy.

The Chill in the Air \- Tracking down a killer, Sweets is trapped in an icy cabin and gets hypothermia

The Murder in the Family \- strange multi decade case

The Bank in the Heist &amp; The Clue in the Profiler \- the first one little story about a bank heist &amp; Sweets gets shot. Followed up by a far darker story in which Sweets is kidnapped and profiles the killer's murders live.

The Choice of a Family \- Sweets attempts to help a young but instead gets beat up by the gang and then develops a drug addiction.

The Tierney in the Image \- It appears Booth has tried to kill Sweets in order to keep him safe.


End file.
